Horse Racing

7th-Meydan, AED82,500, Maiden, 2yo, 1600m, 1:38.92, ft. SHIRL'S BEE (c, 2, Bee Jersey--Shirl's Soul, by Perfect Soul {Ire}) was the subject of some pre-race buzz and turned in a tough debut effort to stamp himself one to watch in next year's 3-year-old events in Dubai. Nicely into stride from gate two, the homebred colt appeared set to challenge for the lead at the rail, but was taken hold of by Pat Dobbs and immediately began to overrace. More settled as they raced past the half-mile marker, Shirl's Bee faced a...

Sunday's G1 Arima Kinen offers fans of international racing the ultimate Christmas gift, as a field of 16--largely selected by the public--will face the starter in one of the world's most valuable Group 1 races not held in a desert environment. Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) was the leading votegetter and looks to atone for his speed-and-fade 11th-place effort in that boggy-ground renewal of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp Oct. 2. He'd earned the right to contest Europe's weight-for-age championship, having defeated fellow Arc runner Deep Bond...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Nakayama Racecourse. The highlight of the weekend and one of the year's main events, the G1 Arima Kinen (Grand Prix) has attracted most every top galloper in Japan. Tune in Sunday morning at 1:40 a.m. ET if still setting out...

FanDuel announced that its customers can access both parimutuel wagering on horse racing and traditional sports book wagering with a single account after a successful soft launch last week. FanDuel Sportsbook becomes the first to offer this feature, as users will be able to wager on and stream racing coverage from FanDuel TV and other related content. In addition to live horse racing, FanDuel Sportsbook customers will also be able to wager on the Kentucky Derby for the first time through the integrated platform in 2023. Prior to this innovation,...

In this series, we will have a look at first-time starters entered for age-restricted maiden races on the week's main live program at Meydan Racecourse, focusing specifically on pedigree and/or performance in sales ring, both domestic and abroad. With the exception of Thursday, Dec. 1, Super Saturday, Mar. 4, and Dubai World Cup night Mar. 25, the main meeting at Meydan takes place on Fridays. Six meetings are to be staged at the UAE's flagship racecourse prior to the start of the Dubai World Cup Carnival Friday, Jan. 6, 2023....

Emily Scott, who served Highclere as its assistant racing manager from 2014-2017, has been appointed to the position of director of racing. Her new duties will commence Jan. 3, 2023. Since her first stint with the organization, Scott has gained experience as communications manager for trainer Roger Varian and more recently served as racing manager for Amo Racing Limted. Emily Scott said: "I am delighted to be returning to Highclere to lead the racing team. I look forward to working closely with the trainers to get the most out of...

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio (Race Day) will not have a prep race for the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. confirmed Saturday. "He runs well fresh. He's proven he runs well fresh," Joseph said. "He's 4-for-4 at Gulfstream, so that's a good thing. It's his home track." The $40,000 OBS March juvenile won a pair of starts in Hallandale late last season before adding the GIII Holy Bull S. in February and the GI Curlin...

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo, Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses. Juvenile Fillies got their chance at Group 1 glory last weekend and it's the boys' turn this weekend at Hanshin, with the running of the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity: Saturday, December 17, 2022 5th-CKO,...

Jockey Fuma Matsuwaka conjured up one final late surge from third favorite Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) and was up on the wire to take out Wednesday's Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse, earning 20 points to go to the head of the class on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Settled in mid-division and well off the inside for the run up the backstretch, the chestnut still had several lengths to find as 6-5 favorite Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) went for home. The latter began to look...

The 2023 racing dates at Colonial Downs will hold steady at the same 27-program level that the turf-focused track ran this year, but the full first season under the ownership of the gaming company Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), will see a shift to Thursday-through-Saturday racing instead of the Virginia track's traditional Monday-through-Wednesday slot. The number of racing dates had been a concern for mid-Atlantic horsemen who were leery about CDI bloating the racing schedule beyond what the region's horse population might be able to sustain. Those concerns were raised back...

The $700,000 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, offering qualifying points for a spot in the field for the GI Kentucky Derby, is the centerpiece of a 20-strong stakes schedule at Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky, this winter and spring. Jeff Ruby Steaks Day will feature a total of six stakes events, including the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic, the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks--a Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifying race--the $250,000 Animal Kingdom S., the $250,00 Latonia S. and the $250,000 Rushaway S. Turfway will host one other Derby points race, the...

The project to modernize Belmont Park will produce billions of dollars in economic impact and generate thousands of jobs, according to an independent economic study released by We Are NY Horse Racing Wednesday. According to the rigorous analysis completed by HR&A Advisors, a leading economic development and real estate consulting firm, the multi-year project to build a new Belmont Park will generate $1 billion in one-time construction-related economic impact while supporting 3,700 construction jobs. Upon completion, racing and non-racing activities at the new Belmont Park will generate $155 million in...